Support arrangement for roll material



July 27, 1965 R. B. MOTT ETAL 3,

SUPPORT ARRANGEMENT FOR ROLL MATERIAL Filed Oct. 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2040/) 56m Ma July 27, 1965 R. B. MOTT ETAL SUPPORT ARRANGEMENT FOR ROLL MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 15, 1962 5040/? 59066 Muff, e/r.

1NVENTOR$ BY Hyhv/M United States Patent Office 3,197,149 Patented July 27, 1965 3,197,143 SUPPORT ARRANGEMENT FOR ROLL MATERIAL Ralph Beach Mott and Ralph Beach Mott, Jr., both of 602 Sul Ross, Houston, Tex. Filed Oct. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 230,433 Claims. (Cl. 242-555) The present invention relates to a support arrangement for roll material which is adapted to be received within an aperture or opening.

The present invention relates to an improvement in our copending application Serial No. 742,076 now issued as United States Letters Patent No. 3,058,682.

An object of the present invention is to provide a support frame for supporting a plurality of rolls of material for receiving in an aperture or opening whereby one roll of material may be exposed at a time for use and reserve rolls of material may be supported on the frame in nonexposed position.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a support frame for a plurality of rolls of material, which support frame is constructed and arranged so that one roll of material is exposed for use and is locked in exposed position until it is used, whereupon the support frame may be actuated to release additional rolls of material for exposure and use.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a support frame for -a plurality of rolls of material which is adapted to be received within an aperture or opening whereby only one roll of material is exposed for use at a time and maintained in exposed position against premature release until it has been depleted.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a support frame for a plurality of rolls of material so that a constant supply of the rolled material is available for use to be moved to the exposed position for use as each exposed roll is depleted.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a support frame for supporting a plurality of rolls of material in an aperture or opening wherein some of the rolls are locked in a nonexposed relationship, and one roll is locked in position in the support frame for exposure and use until it has been depleted, whereupon the support frame may be actuated so as to release one of the nonexposed rolls to operative position for exposure and use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from a consideration of the following descrpition and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a form of the present invention and showing a hollow container which defines an opening or aperture in which the roll material may be recessed;

FIG. 2 is a vertical, sectional view, partly in elevation, on line 22 of FIG. 4 and illustrates the structural arrangement of certain components; 7

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 33 of FIG. 4, partly in elevation, and shows the relationship of the components as the mechanism is being actuated to enable a nonexposed roll to be moved to position for exposure and use;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 44 of FIG. 2 and illustrates further structural details of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 55 of FIG. 3 and shows additional details as to the relationship of the components; and

FIG. 6 is a view on the line 6-6 of FIG. 2 showing the arrangement of the actuating mechanism for the support frame of the invention.

In describing the present invention, it will be noted that the aperture or opening into which the rolled material is to be recessed is shown as being a hollow container. This container in turn may be secured on a wall or recessed within a wall or other suitable area and secured in posi tion by any suitable means. It can be appreciated that in some circumstances the hollow container designated generally at 13 may be eliminated and the front panel designated generally by the numeral 14 may be mounted directly on the wall and over an opening which is formed within the wall. The support frame 30 of the present invention is carried on the front panel 12 so that the device will function with or without the receptacle 13 as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

The detailed description of the present invention will be related to its use as a toilet tissue dispenser; however, it is apparent that the present invention could be applied equally well to other forms of roll material of any size.

In the drawings, the invention is illustrated generally by the numeral 12 and is shown recessed in the hollow container 13 which defines a recess 13 into which the roll material may be received.

A front panel 14 is pivotally or swingably mounted as shown at 10 in relation to the recess 13' so that access may be had to the support frame 30 carried on the panel 14'for loading the support frame 30 with rolls of material, as may be necessary. In the form of the invention described, one roll of material is exposed for use, and an other roll is retained as a reserve roll; however, it can be appreciated that the support frame may be constructed to receive additional reserve rolls without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The front panel 14 is provided with an opening 15 of suitable size and configuration adjacent which the roll of material 16 is positioned or exposed for use. Access may be had to the roll material 16 positioned adjacent the opening 15 whereby the unrolled material 17 may be removed from the roll 16 for use as desired.

In theform of the invention shown in FIG. 1, the front panel 14 includes a top surface 18, a bottom surface 19, and side surfaces 20 and 21, respectively.

The hollow container or housing 13 in which the support mechanism 30 is recessed may be formed into an integral unit by joining the top surface 23, a bottom surface 24, a back surface 25, and side surfaces 26 and 27, respectively.

The operating mechanism of the present invention is illustrated more in detail in FIGS. 2-6, inclusive. The support frame 30 carried on panel 14 includes thespaced brackets 31 and 32 which extend rearwardly in substantially vertical planes from the panel 14, the brackets being fixed to the back of panel 14 by welding or any other suitable means.

Adjacent each of. the spaced brackets 31 and 32 are longitudinally extending members 33 and 34, respectively, which also are in substantially vertical planes and which are pivotally attached to their respective bracket means 31 and 32 as indicated at points 35 and 36, respectively. The longitudinally extending members 33 and 34 include the base portions 33b and 34b with the projecting portions 33a, 330, 34a and 34c, respectively. Spring means 37 is mounted by any suitable means on the portions 33a of member 33 and on bracket 31 and serves to connect between the bracket member 31 and the longitudinally extending member 33, and spring means 38 is mounted by any suitable means on portion 34a of member 34 and on bracket 32 and serves to connect between the bracket member 32 and the longitudinally extending member 34. The mounting means for springs 37 and 38 may be of any suitable form and is shown as being pins or lugs on the portions 33a and 34a and pins or lugs on brackets 31 and 32 for engaging and locking the springs to accomplish their intended function. As noted in the drawings,

the bracket means 31 and 32 are pivotally connected to each longitudinally extending member 33 and 34 so that the spring means 37 and 38 tend to urge the portions 330 and 340 of each member 33 and 34 toward the back of the panel member 14 for a purpose as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

. On longitudinally extending member 33 there is a projection 39 which extends toward the rear surface or edge 41 of the support bracket 31, and there is a similar pro jection 49 on longitudinally extending member 34 extending toward the rear surface or edge 42 on support bracket 32. The projections 39 and 40 cooperate with the surface 41 of bracket 31 and the surface 42 of bracket 32, respectively, to support the spool 51 and the reserve roll of material thereon designated 45 in the drawings. The lower end portion 33c of the longitudinal member 33 and lower end portion 340 of the longitudinal member 34 both extend toward the back of the panel 14 as shown in the drawings, and the upper edge 48 of the lower portion 330 and the upper edge 49 of the lower portion 340 may be' flanged or bent over as shown at 59 and 60 to provide guide surfaces for guiding the spool 51 and the roll materialxthereon from the storage position as illustrated in FIG. 2 to the position for exposure at the opening in the'panel 14.

The outermost end or edge. of the guide surfaces 48 and 49 also act as the support means for supporting the reel designated at 51 on which the roll ofmaterial 16 is supported when it is in the exposed position as shown in FIG. 2. A spool or reel 51 is provided for each roll of material in the support frame and extendsthrough the central opening in the rolls of material 45 and 16, respectively, and when the roll 16 is in the position shown in FIG. 2, the ends of the spool 51' rest on the lower portion of the guide surfaces defined by flanges 59' and 69 to support the roll of material 16 adjacent the opening 15 in the panel 14 exposing for use the material on the roll 16.

Bar means 53 are pivotally mounted about pivot point 55 adjacent the lower'portion 330 of the longitudinally extending. member 33. Similar bar means 56 are pivotally mounted about a pivot point 58 adjacent the lower portion 340 of the longitudinally extending member 34. A slot 59a and a slot 65a are formed in each of the flanges 59 and 60, respectively, and one end of the bar means 53 is adapted to project through the slot 59a and one end of bar means 56 is adapted to project through slot 60a as shown in the drawings. 7

When the support frame is actuated so as to release the nonexposed roll to move it to exposure adjacent opening 15 in panel 14,-the'ends of the spool 51 which project from each side of the roll 'move along over the guide surfaces 59 and 60. The ends of the movable bars 53 "and 56projecting above the guide surfaces 59 and 60 will be depressed by the weight of the spool 51 and roll of material, thereby allowing the spool 51 to move to the lower portion of the guide surfaces 59 and 60 where it is stopped by the contact with the brackets 62 and 63 mounted on the back of the panel 14 as shown in the drawings.

It can be appreciated that immediately after the support frame 30 has been actuated and moved away from panel 14. to release the reserve roll 45, the springs 37 and 38 immediatelyreturn members-33 and 34 to the position illustrated in FIG; 2 of the drawings so that the lower end portions 340 and 330 are positioned adjacent brackets 62 and 63 on each side of the opening 15. Thus, the roll of material 45 is free to move to exposed position when the device is actuated, and the components are related so that they will react to stop the moving roll and properly position it at the opening 15.

When the spool 51 has stopped on the guide surfaces 59 and 60 against the brackets 62 and 63, the roll of material 45 mounted on the spool 51 is in alignment with the opening 15 in the panel 14, and the material 17 on together.

4 the roll 45 is exposed for unrolling through the opening 15. One edge of the pivotally mounted movable bars 53 and 56 is adapted to engage the shoulders 59b and b formed by the end-s of slots 59a and fiiia in the guide surfaces 59 and 60, respectively, and this acts to lock the spool 51 and the roll of material mounted thereon in position adjacent the opening 15 and to prevent the movement of the spool 51 along the guide surfaces 59 and 69 away from the opening 15.

A release means designated by the numeral 65 shown as being in the form of a plate is pivotally mounted between the extreme lower ends of the longitudinally extending members 33 and 34 and serves to connect them The rod 66 on which the release means is carried may be mounted in holes 67 and 68 in longitudinally extending members 33 and 34, respectively, or may be welded or otherwise suitably attached to members 33 and 34. Spring means 69 is connected between one of the longitudinally extending members 34, and the release means 65 tends to urge one end of the release means .65 into engagement with the roll of material 16 exposed at the opening 15. When in this position, the rear edge 65:: of release means or plate 65 is in close proximity to stop 71. Swinging movement of support frame 30 away from the panel 14 is prohibited by contact of the rear edge 65a with the stop 71 as long as the roll of material inopening 15 is not depleted. For example, as shown more clearly in the drawings, stop means 71 is located adjacent the opposite end of the release means 65 from the end which is in contact with the roll of material 16, and as above noted, this causes stop means 71 to be engaged by the edge 65a of release means 65 at any time prior to the depletion of the material from the roll 16 and thereby locks the longitudinal members 33 and 34 against movement away from the back of the panel 14 until the eX-. posed roll 16 has been depleted.

The release 65 remains in contact with the surface of the roll material at opening 15, and as it is gradually depleted, the release 65 pivots upwardly about the rod 66. When the roll of material on the reel 51 at opening 15 has been depleted, slot 72 in release plate 65 is aligne with stop 71 as shown in FIG. 5.

When the exposed roll 16 has been depleted, the release means 65 has been urged by spring means 69 to a position so that it clears the stop means 71, and when actuating plunger is moved down as shown in FIG. 3, the longitudinally extending members 33 and 34 are then allowed to be moved away from or swung away from the rear of the panel 14 as illustrated in FIG. 3 thereby releasing the spool 51 and roll material from the position shown in FIG. 2 and allowing it to drop into its position for use as previously described herein. In the form of the invention shown herein, the expended spool 51 is discharged from adjacent opening 15 when the members 33 and 34 are actuated as above described to rest on the bottom of the hollow container 13 where it can be retrieved and recharged with a fresh roll of material.

By way of further explanation, it will be assumed that a reserve roll 45 is locked in position by the spool end 51 engaging as shown in FIG. 2between surfaces 39, 41 and 40, 42 of members 33, 34, and brackets 31, 32.

In order to actuate the support frame 30 caried on panel 14 to release the reserve roll 45 and move it to exposed position at opening 15, suitable means is provided such as the plunger means 7t? which extends through the opening 73 in the top 18 of the front panel 14. The lower end of the plunger is adapted to engage in the notches or recesses 74 and 75 provided in the upper ends of portions 33a and 34a of the longitudinally extending members 33 and 34, respectively. When the plunger 70 is depressed overcoming the tension of the springs 37 and 38, the longitudinally extending members 33 and 34 are pivoted away from the front panel 14 as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings when the stop means 65 is clear of stop 71 as previously described. The slot 72 is in the release means 65 and receives the projecting stop means 71 when the plunger 70 is depressed pivot-ing the longitudinally extending members 33 and 34 and the release means 65 carried thereon away from the front panel 14 and towards the stop 71. The stop 71 will engage the front edge 72' of the slot 72 to limit the rearward movement of the release means 65 and the longitudinally extending members 33 and 34 when the plunger 70 is depressed.

Projections 76 and 77 are provided on each side of the release means 65 to engage in the recesses 78 and 79 in the lower portion of the longitudinally extending memhers 33 and 34 to stop movement of the release means 65 after the roll has been depleted.

When the support frame of the invention is initially charged, a roll of material 16 with a spool 51 extending through the central opening is placed in position with a roll of material 16 positioned in the frame 30 adjacent the opening 15 in the panel 14. The spool 51 of roll 16 rests on the lower ends of the guide surfaces 59 and 60, respectively, and abuts the brackets 62 and 63. In this position, the material 17 may be unrolled from the roll 16 until the material on the roll has been depleted. The reserve roll of material 45 with the spool 51 extending longitudinally therethrough is placed in the storage position as shown in FIG. 2 with the projections 39 and 40 of the longitudinally extending member 33 and 34 cooperating with the surfaces 41 and 42 of the brackets 31 and 32, respectively, to hold the spool 51 and the roll of material 45 in place. As the roll of material 16 is depleted, the release means 65 is constantly urged against the surface of the roll means by the spring 69 and pivots about the pin 66 carried between the longitudinally extending means 33 and 34 until the release means 65 is in a position to clear the stop means 71. Until the roll of material 16 has been depleted, the release means 65 will remain in position to engage the stop means 71 and thereby prevent the movement of the longitudinally extending members 33 and 34 away from the panel 14 and prevent premature release of the reserve roll.

When the roll of material 16 has been depleted and the release means 65 has pivoted to the point where it will clear the stop means 71, the plunger 70 then may be depressed, and this pivots the support carriage 30 including the longitudinally extending means 33 and 34 away from the panel 14 thereby releasing the spool 51 from its supported position as previously noted.

In other forms of the invention, suitable means may be provided for receiving and storing more than two rolls of material. When the reserve roll 45 is released, it will drop onto the guide surfaces 59 and 60 of the longitudinally extending members 33 and 34. The spool 51 supporting the reserve roll moves along the guide surfaces 59 and 60, depresses the movable bars 53 and 56, and finally comes to rest against the brackets 62 and 63 positioned adjacent the opening 15 in the panel 14. The material on the new roll 45 will depress the release means 65, pivoting it into position to enable it to engage the stop means 71 and thereby preventing the longitudinally extending members 33 and 34 from movement away from the panel 14. After the spool 51 has passed over the end of the pivotally movable bars 53 and 56, the bar members thereafter pivot by gravity to expose their ends as shown in FIG. 2 to cooperate with the shoulders 59b and 60b and brackets 62 and 63 to lock the spool 51 and the roll of material 45 thereon against displacement from position adjacent the opening 15 in the panel 14.

A simple lock arrangement 90 holds panel 14 in position over opening 13' and the lock may be actuated by key 91 to gain access to the support frame 39. When the lock 90 is actuated, front panel 14 and support frame 30 carried thereon are swung away from recess 13' for loading the device with additional rolls.

Broadly, the present invention relates to an improved form of support frame for carrying a plurality of rolls of material and locking one roll at a time in exposed position for use.

What is claimed is:

1. A support for roll material adapted to be received within an aperture including a front panel, a support frame carried by said panel for storing and dispensing roll material carried on a spool, an opening in said panel for exposing the roll material for use, means mounting said front panel for movement away from the aperture whereby roll material may be loaded in said frame and said panel thereafter moved to a position to store the roll material in the aperture, said support frame including spaced brackets extending rearwardly from said panel, a member adjacent each of said brackets and extending longitudinally of said panel, means pivotally mounting said members to their adjacent bracket, spring means between said longitudinally extending members and said brackets tending to urge the lower end of each of said longitudinally extending members toward the back of said panel, each of said longitudinally extending members having a portion at their lower ends which extend toward the back of said front panel, means mounted on said panel to engage said longitudinally extending members and overcome said spring means and thereby move said lower end portion of said longitudinally extending members away from the back of said panel, said longitudinally extending members each having a projection extending toward each of said spaced brackets to form a retaining means for roll material stored in support frame, said lower end portions each providing a guide surface for guiding roll material to exposure for use in said opening, a bar member pivotally mounted on each of said lower end portions and projecting at one end above the guide surface on said lower end portion, a shoulder on each side of said panel adjacent said opening and in spaced relation to the projecting end of each of said bar members, said bar member being movable by engagement with said spool on which is mounted the roll material as it moves along said guide surface to exposed position in said panel opening, and said bar members and opposed shoulders thereafter cooperating to lock said roll material and spool against displacement from said panel opening.

2. A support for roll material adapted to be received within an aperture including a front panel, a support frame carried by said panel for storing and dispensing roll material carried on a spool, an opening in said panel for exposing the roll material for use, means mounted said front panel for movement away from the aperture whereby roll material may be loaded in said frame and said panel thereafter moved to a position to store the roll material in the aperture, said support frame including spaced brackets extending rearwardly from said panel, a member adjacent each of said brackets and extending longitudinally of said panel, means pivotally mounting said members to their adjacent bracket, spring means between said longitudinally extending members and said brackets tending to urge the lower end of each of said longitudinally extending members toward the back of said panel, each of said longitudinally extending members having a portion at their lower ends which extend toward the back of said front panel, means mounted on said panel to engage said longitudinally extending members and overcome said spring means and thereby move said lower end portion of said longitudinally extending members away from the back of said panel, said longitudinally extending members each having a projection extending toward each of said spaced brackets to form a retaining means for roll material stored in said support frame, said lower end portions each providing a guide surface for guiding roll material to exposure for use in said opening, a bar member pivotally mounted on each of said lower end portions and projecting at one end above the guide surface on said lower end portion, a shoulder on each side of said panel adjacent said opening and in spaced relation to the projecting end of each of said bar members, said bar member being movable by engagement with said spool on which 7 r i l t is mounted the roll material as it moves along said guide surface to exposed position in said panel opening, and saidbar members and opposed shoulders thereafter cooperating to lock said roll material and spool against displacement from said panel. opening, and release means carried by each of said longitudinally extending members, spring means urging said release means into engagement with the roll material when exposed at said panel opening to lock said longitudinally extending members against movement away from said vpanel to thereby lock said longitudinally extending members in relation to said back panel until the exposed roll is depleted.

3. A support for roll material carried on reels adapted to be recessed within an openingrincluding a front panel for covering the opening, an opening in said front panel for exposing one roll of material for use, a support frame carried by said panel for receiving and storing a plurality of rolls of material and for positioning the exposed roll at said panel opening until it is depleted, said support frame including spaced brackets, a member extending longitudinally of said panel adjacent each of said brackets, means pivotally mounting said member on its adjacent bracket, surface means formed on said, brackets and said members for retaining a reserve roll of'material on said support in nonexposed position relative to said panel opening, cooperating means on 'said panel and on said longitudinally extending member for engaging the reel of a roll of material and retaining it in exposed position and retain it against movement away from said panel opening, means engaged with said longitudinally extending members for pivoting them away'from said panel to enable the reserve roll to move to exposed position in said panel opening, and additional means for locking said longitudinally extending members against pivotal movement in relation to said panel to prevent release of a roll of mate-- rial until it is depleted.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said cooperating means includes a bar pivotally mounted on each. of said longitudinally extending members and a shoulder on said panel adjacent said opening for receiving the reel of the: exposed material between said shoulder and the end of said bar to thereby lock it against movement away from said panel opening.

5. A support arrangement for a plurality of rolls of material including a support frame, a panel for mounting said support frame and having an opening through which a roll of material on said support frame may be exposed for use, means on said frame to lock a roll of material in References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,299,301 10/42 Britt et al 242-55.3 2,620,991 12/52 Defienbaugh 24255.3 3,058,682 ,10/62 Mott et a1. 24255.3

RUSSELL C. MADER, Primary Examiner.

MERVIN STEIN, Examiner. 

1. A SUPPORT FOR ROLL MATERIAL ADAPTED TO BE RECEIVED WITHIN AN APERTURE INCLUDING A FRONT PANEL, A SUPPORT FRAME CARRIED BY SAID PANEL FOR STORING AND DISPENSING ROLL MATERIAL CARRIED ON A SPOOL, AN OPENING IN SAID PANEL FOR EXPOSING THE ROLL MATERIAL FOR USE, MEANS MOUNTING SAID FRONT PANEL FOR MOVEMENT AWAY FROM THE APERTURE WHEREBY ROLL MATERIAL MAY BE LOADED IN SAID FRAME AND SAID PANEL THEREAFTER MOVED TO A POSITION TO STORE THE ROLL MATERIAL IN THE APERTURE, SAID SUPPORT FRAME INCLUDING SPACED BRACKETS EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM SAID PANEL, A MEMBER ADJACENT EACH OF SAID BRACKETS AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID PANEL, MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID MEMBERS TO THEIR ADJACENT BRACKET, SPRING MEANS BETWEEN SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING MEMBERS AND SAID BRACKETS TENDING TO URGE THE LOWER END OF EACH OF SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING MEMBERS TOWARD THE BACK OF SAID PANEL, EACH OF SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING MEMBERS HAVING A PORTION AT THEIR LOWER ENDS WHICH EXTEND TOWARD THE BACK OF SAID FRONT PANEL, MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID PANEL TO ENGAGE SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING MEMBERS AND OVERCOME SAID SPRING MEANS AND THEREBY MOVE SAID LOWER END PORTION OF SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING MEMBERS AWAY FROM THE BACK OF SAID PANEL, SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING MEMBERS EACH HAVING A PROJECTION EXTENDING TOWARD EACH OF SAID SPACED BRACKETS TO FORM A RETAINING MEANS FOR ROLL MATERIAL STORED IN SUPPORT FRAME, SAID LOWER END PORTIONS EACH PROVIDING A GUIDE SURFACE FOR GUIDING ROLL MATERIAL TO EXPOSURE FOR USE IN SAID OPENING, A BAR MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID LOWER END PORTIONS AND PROJECT- 